Go green

Our daily routines create much more waste than we may be aware of. From cotton pads to the plastic bag you get from the grocery store, these seemingly small steps add up. As a student, it may sometimes feel like creating waste is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be. Luckily, living sustainably doesn’t have to be hard. It can be as easy as swapping out the daily products creating waste in your routine.

There are a ton of easy and cost-efficient ways to reduce your environmental footprint—no matter your budget! And, to make it even easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of zero-waste beauty & hygiene, home, and grocery swaps you can make today.

Check it out:

I must admit, I’m a sucker for beauty and hygiene products. It’s easy to get excited while shopping and forget about the environmental impact our purchases have—that’s why I’ve compiled a list of beauty and hygiene swaps that’ll not only reduce your environmental footprint, but also simplify your routine, and likely, save you money in the long haul.

Bamboo toothbrushes

Bamboo toothbrushes are a great way to reduce plastic in your day-to-day life. Every year, plastic toothbrushes amount to 50 million pounds of waste in landfills. Conventional toothbrushes are usually made from polypropylene plastic and nylon, which not only are non-renewable fossil fuels, but often also end up in waterways and oceans.

Alternatively, bamboo toothbrushes are biodegradable, and have anti-bacterial properties—so they’re good for you AND the environment. Find some here!

Reusable cotton pads

Cotton pads are likely a staple in your routine. We use them to remove makeup, apply toner, and pretty much every step in between. Unfortunately, because cotton is not biodegradable, it’s doing more harm than good.

Luckily, there are a ton of cotton pad alternatives that you can reuse time and time again—saving you unnecessary trips to the grocery store.

Check out MakeUp Eraser cloths or reusable makeup remover pads to remove makeup AND cotton from your routine. P.S, you can cut out cotton swabs too by switching to reusable, washable silicon “cotton” swabs!

Reusable pads or menstrual cups

Periods happen and it’s important to be prepared. If you menstruate and are looking for ways to live more sustainably, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve got options.

Menstrual cups, like the Diva Cup, are silicon-based feminine hygiene products that work to trap your flow from inside the body. They’re reusable, hygienic, comfortable, and can last up to 10 years with proper care. They also don’t have to be removed as often as typical pads and tampons (you can leave it in for up to 12 hours!)

If inserting a menstrual cup isn’t for you, reusable cloth pads are another great alternative to traditional cotton pads. There are also a variety of period underwear brands available if you have a lighter flow! Simply rinse them after use and chuck them in the wash!

Makeup & skincare

This may seem like a tough one to avoid, but there are actually a ton of makeup and skincare brands that offer sustainable alternatives to your favourite products.

Check out Lush for ethically sourced, sustainable makeup and skincare. From lipstick to mascara, and all the skincare products you can imagine, they offer a variety of low-waste products and refills to refill your routine!

Better yet, the black pots used to house their products are made from recycled plastic and can be returned in store for a free face mask. Talk about a win-win.

Reusable water bottles

Investing in a water bottle is a great and cost-efficient way to reduce plastic waste. Though water bottles can be recycled, the vast majority are not recycled properly. Only 1 in 5 plastic water bottles are recycled, resulting in over 1,500 plastic bottles ending up in our oceans or landfills each second.

A good quality reusable water bottle is a great alternative to not only save you money and reduce waste, but also keep your water cooler longer!

Bento boxes

We’re definitely all guilty of this: having food at home, but not being able to resist the urge to order takeout. Unfortunately, takeout bills stack up and it’s not the best practice for the environment.

Well, if you find yourself having this problem, meal prepping is the solution. Meal prepping allows you to create delicious meals for half the price you’d spend ordering takeout. Plus, with all the cute bento boxes available, why wouldn’t you want to strut your lunch in them?   

Reusable grocery and produce bags

Save the 5 cent plastic bag on your next grocery trip and opt for reusable grocery bags and produce bags instead. These are great to save on unnecessary plastic and unnecessary charges too. Check out these expandable strawberry shopping bags that are easy to grab and go while leaving the house!